Machine for dispensing straws.



M. & J. A. KORMAN. MACHINE FOR DISPENSING STRAWS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1910.

995,157, Patented June 13,1911.

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MARCUS KORMAN AND JOHN A. KORMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MACHINEFOR DISPENSING STBAWS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1911,

Application filed July 22, 1910. Serial No. 573,332.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, MARoUs KORMAN and JOHN A. K RMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Dispensing Straws, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a machine for dispensing straws, the object being to provide means for ejecting a single straw at a time, so that the remaining straws are protected and kept clean and sanitary; in other words, the straws are so held that only the one discharged from the machine can be touched by the user, and the rest are prevented from contact with the fingers, and thus kept clean and uncontaminated.

With the foregoing objects in view, this invention consists in a box having a sloping bottom, and an outlet extending throughout the length thereof, just wide enough for the escape of a single straw at a time, and. a gate rotatably supported at said outlet in position to receive a single straw, a tray into which the straw thus removed is dis charged, and spring-actuated means within the control of the user for turning the gate a partial turn with each stroke, whereby to remove but a single straw.

Our invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 1s a View 1n front'elevation, Fig. 2 is a transverse section, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View in front elevation with parts broken away, and Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view in transverse section, showing the toothed wheel at one end of the gate, and the means for actuating it.

The box A may be made in any suitable dimensions and design, although is prefer ably just long enough and of sufficient capacity to accommodate a box with straws; and it may be made in such ornamental design as will appeal to the eye. It has a sloping bottom 1, and a flange 2, converging in the direction of the lower edge of the sloping bottom, and upon which bottom and flange, the straws rest, and between which space is left for the outlet of a single straw at a time. Immediately below this outlet 3, a gate 4 is rotatably supported- This gate might have any number of compartments, but as illustrated has four. On

'opposite ends of the gate, wheels 5, 5, are

located, and these have ratchet-teeth 6, 6, corresponding in number with the compartments of the gate.

The gate is actuated by a presser-bar T which extends across the front of the box, as shown in Fig. 1 Its ends extend into slots 9, 9, in the pillars 10, 10, and its depending ends 8, 8, terminate in springs 11, 11, adapted to engage the teeth of the wheels 5, 5, whereby each depression of the presser-bar 7 rotates the two wheels 5, 5, and the gate 4 a quarter-turn, and with each quarter-turn a straw is dropped upon the tray 12, whence it may be conveniently removed by the user, a thumb-hole 13 being provided to facilitate the removal of the straw from the machine. A plate spring 17 prevents backward motion of the gate.

The resser-bar is supported by means of springs 14-, 14, only one of which is shown, located in the upper end of each of the pillars 10, 10.

A top 15 is removably' placed upon the box, and in front there may be a sign, as 16, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have provided a very simple and sanitary arrangement for the handling of straws at a soda fountain, or bar, which will absolutely preclude contamination except. to the single straw which drops upon the tray; and the fact that the straws are inclosed likewise protects them from dust, flies, and other insects, so that they are perfectly clean when dispensed to the user. This is in marked contrast to the mode now generally in vogue of displaying straws, in which the straws are all exposed fering from some skin disease or having other germs or filth on the fingers or nails may carelessly touch or handle several straws in removing one, thus endangering the health of others by communicating the disease, all of which iseifectually prevented in a machine of the character herein set forth.

It is evident that more or less slightchanges might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departure from the spirit and scope of our invention, and hence we do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein set forth, but

Having fully described our invention,

what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A straw-dispensing machine comprising a receptacle having a narrow elongated opening at the bottom, a gate for controlling said opening and removing a single article there from at a time, hollow pillars at the ends of the receptacle having elongated slots therein, a bar extending through and guided by the slots in said pillars, and provided with depending means for imparting an intermittent step by step motion to the gate, and means for returning the bar to its normal position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa- 15 tures, in the presence of two witnesses.

MARCUS KORMAN. JOHN A. KORMAN.

l/Vitnesses:

C. A. NEALE, VERNON E. Honors.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

